Tobacco-stemming machine.



No. es|,|99. Pa tented Nov. 6, I900. J. B. UNDEBWOOD.

TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE. Application filed Apr. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES VEN 70/7 .wzdjelwood m: NORRIS Pzrzfls 00., FnotaummWASHINGTON. 04 c.

No. 66l,l99.

.1. B. unnsnwpon. TUBACGU STEMMING MACHINE.

Application filed Apr. 8, 1899.)

' Patentad Nov. 6, I900.

1 (In Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W/TNESSES THE NORRIS PETERS 0a.. Pumum uo wAsmNGTQN. a. n.

Patented Nov. 6,1900.

No. 66I,|99.

J. B. unn'sawo'on. TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

Application and r. 8, 159a.

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(No Model.)

' IN VE N TOR Jse ahfi. fizderwoad' A TTOHNE Y5 WITNESSES THE Nam-usPETERS co. PnoTouma. WASHINGTON. u. c.

run-same. Patented Nov. 6,1900. .1. a. UNDEBWOOD.

TUBAGOO STEMHING MACHINE- Application filed Apr. 8, 1899.)

5 Sheets-Shut 5.

(No model.

INVENTOR WITNESSES (5 Owm ATTORNEYS m: uonms PUERS 00.. PKOTO LITHO..wAsnmmcN, u. c.

Urrn STATES TATENT ttics.

JOSEPH B. UNDERWOOD, or FAYET'IEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, AssIeNo'R, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNDERWOOD STEMMING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEWJERSEY.

TOBACCO -STEM MING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent l\l o.'66l, l99, datedNovember 6, 1900.

i Application filed April 8, 1899. Serial No. 712.339. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: with, the cradle devices being in positionto Beitknown that I, JOSEPHB. UNDERWOOD, hold the stop device elevatedabove the leafof Fayetteville, in the county of Cumberland feedway. Fig.5 is a vertical section illusand State of North Carolina, have inventedtrating the position of the stop device and 5 certain new and usefulImprovements in Toinitial feed-rolls during the operation ofstripbacco-Leaf-Stemming Machines, of which the ping the stem. Fig. 6 isa detail view of the following is a specification. combined drive andcam wheel hereinafter This invention relates to that class of toreferredto. Fig. 7 is a detail section illusbacco-stemming machines wherein thesepatrating the position of the stop device and the to ration andremoval of the leaf from the stem initial feed, the stripper, and drawrolls durare effected by subjecting the leaf as a whole ing theoperation of feeding the leaf to the to a drawing action, the body orleaf portion stripping-rolls. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the properbeing retarded and separated from the main drive-gearing. stem anddischarged at one point, while the Referring to the accompanyingdrawings,

15 stem is discharged at another point; and such 1 indicates the mainsupporting-frame, 2 the invention relates generally to improvementsfeed-table, and 3 the stripping and separating on a machine of this kinddisclosed in my chamber, the general arrangementof which is Patents No.543,1i3, dated July 23, 1895; No. best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.556,324,6lated March 10, 1896, and No.59l,436,- 4t 4 indicate the mainstripping-rolls, which 20 dated October 12, 1897. are grooved and arearranged as shown in The objects of theinvention are to improve myformer patents and have an intermittent the construction and operationof tobaccoreverse motion, so that they may serve both stemming machines,to simplify the mechanas feed and as stripping means. ism thereof andrender it durable and free 5 indicates the drawing'rolls, which are ar-2 from liability to derangement, to improve the ranged and operate inthe same manner as the means employed for controlling the feedingdraw-rolls shown in my Patent No. 556,324. of leaves to the strippingmechanism, to pre- 6indicatesthesupplementalstripping-rolls, vent leavesfrom becoming tangled in the which are of alargerdiameter than thedrawstripping mechanism or from wrapping about rolls proper, 5, and haveperipheral faces 0 the stripping or feeding rolls, to separate fineformed of card-teeth 6 6, such rolls being fragments of tobacco frombroken pieces of arranged to rotate atagreater speed than the stem andthe like in a simple manner, and to rolls 5 to provide for a positivestripping improve the mechanism employed for drivfrom the stem of theleaf particles not reing and reversing the stripping-rolls. These movedby the main stripper-rolls and also to- 35 objects are attained in theinvention herein discharge the cleaned stem to the rear end of.

described, and illustrated in the drawings the machine. which accompanyand form a part of this By driving the rolls 6 at a greater speedspecification, in which the same referencethan the drawing-rolls 5 thepassage of the. nu morals indicate the same or corresponding stemthrough the said rolls 6 will be retarded 40 parts, and in which so longas the stem is held by the drawing- Figure l is a vertical longitudinalsection rolls 5, and be thereby practically held fixed of my improvedtobacco-stemming machine. in its relation to the rolls 6, and receive aFig. 2 isatopplan viewthereot', parts beingin complete stripping orwiping action, as the section, the inclosingcover orcap memberbeyielding card-teeth will spread and pass along 5 ingremoved. Fig. 3 isa rear view, the reverseach side of the stem and remove the small ingmechanism for operating the stripperleaf particles, it being understood,however, 5 rolls being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a dethat as soon asthe tip of the stem passes betail side view illustrating the main or camyond thedrawing-rolls the swift rotation will wheel and thedrive-gearing connected therecarry it rearward.

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To provide for a positive discharge of the stem to the rear of the rolls6 and avoid the possibility of such stem curling up and winding aboutand between the card'covered rolls, a pair of grooved rolls 7 7 arelocated to the rear and adjacent the rolls 6 in such a manner that thestem as it leaves the rolls 6 will enter therebetween and passtherethrough. These rolls 7 are preferably of rubber or have a yieldingperipheral face,and while they may be arranged to also act as pull-rollsthey need not necessarily be so, as the stem after entering between thesame is forced therethrough by the impetus given it from the rolls 6. Tofacilitate the passage of the stem, such rolls 7 are geared to rotate inthe direction of the movement of the stem, and one of such rolls,preferablythe upper, is allowed a slight vertical movement in itsbearings, so as to rise slightly in case of any obstruction effected byany irregularityin the thickness of the stem. These rolls also serve toprevent the fine particles of leaf removed from the stem being thrownout of the machine and to hold the air-blast, hereinafter referred to,within the separating and stripping chamber, as will presently be morefully explained.

The combined leaf-stop, leaf-rest, and leafbridge mechanism in thisinvention comprises a single member consisting of the side arms 8,pivotally hung on the front edges S of the main frame, and a transversebar 8 of triangular shape, the straight face 8 of which faces the frontof the discharge end of the feedtable, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and7. In practice the member 8 8 is so hung to the main frame as to drop toits lower position by gravity,andtheangle ofLhe upper edge ofthe bar 8is'such that when the said bar 8"-is at its lowermost position the upperedge of such bar is substantially horizontal and forms a bridgepiecebetween the discharge end of the feedtable and the front or initialfeed-rolls 10 and ljywhrch are arranged substantially in the mannershown in my Patent No. 57,436 above referred to, the upper one beingmounted in the cradle 12, while the lower one is mounted on the swingingarms 13, fulcrumed on a transverse shaft 14. and provided with pendentmembers 13, pivotally connected at 13 to cranks 15, mounted on atransverse bar or shaft 16, one of which cranks has fixedly connectedtherewith a second crank arm 17, which forms the shifting lever, as itsfree end has a stud 17, which works within a camgroove in a mastergear-wheel 18, intermeshing with a pinion 19 on the main drive-shaft 20,which carries the drive-pulley 21, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.The cam-groove of gear-wheel 18 consists of a main portion 22, arrangedconcentric with the axis of the wheel 18, and an eccentric portion 22".

In practice the relation of the arm 17 and the cam-groove 2 2 22 is suchthat the stud 17 travels in the concentric portion 22 of the grooveduring the stripping rotation of the rolls whereby the shifter 17 isheld inert during such operation, and the cradle and initial feed-rollsare in the position shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. During suchaction of the member 17 the device 8 rests with its front edge above thefeed-table bed or apron and forms, as it were, a combined leaf-stop andleaf-rest, as it projectsin the path of a leaf upon one of thefeeding-belts of the table 2 and prevents the leaf from feeding forwardduring the stemming of the preceding leaf, also deflecting and forming arest for such precedingly-fed leaves as may not have properly engagedthe stripper'rolls.

At intervals the direct-ion of motion-of the stripping-rolls 4:, whichnormally is opposite to that of a leaf through the machine, is reversed,so that said stripping-rolls may act temporarily as feeding-rolls. Atthe time when this reversal of direction of rotation occurs thecam-groove of the gear-wheel 18 moves the arms 13 and the feed-rolls 11and 10 into the position shown in Fig. 7, so permitting the stop 8* tofall. Leaves upon the feed-table 2 are then carried forward by thefeed-belts of said table over the stop 8*,which then forms a bridge, andare caught by the rolls 10 and 11, are carried forward thereby, and arecaught by the stripping-rolls at 4, which are then acting as feed-rolls.The rolls 4 4 carry the leaves on until their stems are firmly graspedby the drawing-rolls 5 5, and then the direction of motion of thestripping-rolls is reversed by mechanism hereinafter described, thecam-groove 22 22 at the same time moving the lever 17, so as to throwthe roll 11 back and the roll 10 up into their normal positions, therebyraising the stop 8. The ends of any leaves which may not have beenengaged by the stripping-rolls are raised by the stop 8 as it rises, asshown in Fig. 5, so that said leaves may not be fed forward fartheruntil the stop descends again. This prevents the machine from becomingclogged by imperfectly-fed leaves and prevents the leaves from becomingtangled in the rolls or from being torn or imperfectly stripped. A leafwhich is not engaged by the stripping-rolls when the stop 8 first fallswill usually enter between said rolls properly the second time the stopfalls, and if for any reason a leaf does not enter between the saidstrippingrolls properly after several attempts the attendant may enterit by hand when the stop next falls or may remove it altogether. Thestop 8 prevents leaves from passing to the stripping-rolls, except whenthe rolls 10 and and 11 are in position for guiding the leaves, andholds away from said rolls leaves which have passed the stop, but havenot been engaged by them. At'requent source of trouble with formermachines is thus removed.

The stop 8 8 drops by gravity when the roll 11 moves up to the positionshown in Fig. 7 andis raised by the arm 13 and roll 11 when they moveback into their normal positions.

To effect a proper feed of the leaf-butts between the initial feed-rolls10 and 1]. when they are moved together, as shown in Fig. 7, the cradlecarries a transverse guide-piece connected with a bar 23 which in turnis mounted on the cradle, as best shown in Fig. 4, said guide-piecehaving a forward-projecting portion 23 and a rearwardly-projectingmember 23*, the rear portion 23 extending up into the separating-chamberabove the stripper-rolls to prevent trash or other articles dropping inthe front of the machine over the said stripper-rolls.

To protect the stripper and draw rolls,a cap-piece 24 is hinged to therear of the machine.

25 indicates a blast-fan located within the blast-chamber 26, the frontor nose end of which extends up to the shaft 16, at which point thecasing has its air-outlet 26*, over which is located a shaker-screen 27,the upper end of which has a'hinged connection with the top of theblastcham ber, its rear end being freely movable vertically. To properlyvibrate the screen 27, its frame at one side has a pendent projectingmember 28, having a shoe 28, which engages a cam 29 on the fan-shaft 29,which has a gear 30, operated through the medium of a chain of gears 31by a drive-gear 32 on the shaft 20, as indicated in Fig. 8.

32 indicates a guide which extends from the rear of the guide-rolls 7down to a point just above the blast-discharge 26 and guides thereto thetine leaf removed from the stems by the rolls 6.

33 indicates a partition disposed under and 1.0 the rear of the nose orfront end of the blast-chamber, and 34 indicates a similar partitionforward of the partition 33, which does not, however, extend up as high.

35 is a combined guide and partition shield which has a vertical upperend held in close engagement with the lower stripper-roll, its lower endbeing atapoint approximately over the partition 34.

36 indicates a shifting partition, which has a rocker-bearing 36 on themain frame and is of such height that when swung forward to the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 1 it forms a continuation of the partition34 and opens up a passage for the discharge of the short staple removedby the supplemental stripping-rolls into a compartment separate from thelong or body portions of the leaf, which passes down in front ofpartition 34.

When it is desired to collect the short and long staple in onecompartment, the rocking partition is swung over to the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1, it being manifest that when in this positionthe short and long leaf portions will be discharged in front ofpartition 34.

By providing a blast-fan mechanism and arranging it in the manner shownthe small or broken stems will drop down onto the screen 27 and pass outat the rear end of the machine as the fine leaf particles are blown byeffecting a thorough separation of the separated particies of the leafand stem.

The rolls 7 prevent the fine leaf particles removed by the rolls 6 frombeing thrown from the machine with the stems or from being blown away bythe blast. Such leaf particles as do pass the rolls 7 will fall upon theguide 32.

To facilitate the operation of the partition 36, it has a suit-ablecrank-handle 36".

To impart to the stripping-rolls rotation first in one direction andthen in another, I employ a friction clutch mechanism, the arrangementof which is best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, by reference to whichit will be seen that the main driveshaft 14 has a tubular extension 14*,having a bearing in a bracket 37, secured to one end of the main frame.

38 indicates a clutch-gear loosely journaled on the shaft portion 14,having external gearteeth 38. 39 indicates a clutch-gear of a largerdiameter, having internal gear-teeth 39,,such gear being also looselymounted on the shaft portion 14.

40 indicates a friction clutch-wheel, which is arranged to slide uponthe shaft 14*, its hub portion 40 carrying a pin 41, which passestransversely through elongated slot-s 14 of the shaft 14 and is madefast to the shifting rod 42, movable within the tubular shaft 14.

43 indicates a cam-sleeve mount-ed upon the shaft 14 and arranged torotate therewith and to slide endwise thereon, its outer end having asupplemental or pocket portion 43. The sleeve 43 has an annular groovehaving a short abrupt cam portion 43*, its remaining portion beingstraight, as at 43.

44 indicates a stud held on the bracket 37, which engages the camgroove43 43 The rod 42 has an extension 42 which passes through an aperture inthe end of the sleeve 43 and enters the pocket 43 its outer end having anut 42*, between which and the end of the sleeve 43 is disposed a stoutcushion-spring 45. 46 indicates a similar cushion-spring disposedbetween the end of the r sleeve and the shoulder 42 of the rod.

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the sleeve 43 haspractically a fixed connection with the shifting rod 42, so that when it(the sleeve) is slid backward and forward by the cam action itreciprocates the rod 42 with it, and in consequence through the mediumof the transverse pin at its inner end it shifts the clutch-wheel toalternately engage the clutch-gears 38 and 39 and bring them in gearwith the drive-shaft.

By referring now to Figs. 3 and 8 it will be seen the stripper-rolls aregeared with each other and the shaft of the lower roll extended, as at46, and provided with a gear-46 which meshes with the gears 38 and 39.

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Thus should the gear 38 be in a clutched connection with the shaft 14the stripper-rolls forward and discharge at the front end,there-1 willbe rotated in one direction, while the gear 39 rotates loosely on theshaft 14, and when the said gear 39 is clutched with the shaft 14 thesaid rolls will be rotated in a reverse direction, the gear 38 at thistime revolving loose on its shaft 14.

As the rolls 4 have their minimum rotation when acting as feed-rolls,the gear 38 is only thrown into an operative position .when the grooveportion 43" engages the stud 44, the gear 39 being in an operativecondition during the engagement of the stud with the straight grooveportion 43.

By providing clutch devices for imparting the reverse motion to therolls 4 a positive action is obtained without danger of mutilating orbreaking the gear-teeth of the operating members, the hammering actionand noise incident to the use of the mutilated gear devices disclosed inmy other patents referred to being also avoided.

By providing the cushion-springs and arranging them as shown a jarringaction or shock during the shifting of the rod 42 is avoided.Furthermore, such springs will serve to always adjust the rod 42 to takeup the wear on the clutch-wheel, and thereby at all times provide for apositive and uniform action of such clutch-wheel.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 5, it will be noticed that thediameter of the supplemental stripping-rolls is much greater than thatof the draw-rolls and that the cardteeth are of such length as toproduce a stemengaging portion of much resiliency, so that such teethwill effect a complete wiping action, and thereby remove all of the leafparticles adhering to the stem before the stem is passed outward by thedraw action of the said supplemental strippers. During the time in whichthe draw-rolls engage the leafstem the draw-rolls rotate at a muchslower speed than the rolls 6, so that the stem will bellelglpractically retarded in its passage til rough the said rolls 6. Thisaction permit-s the rolls 6 to act as wipers or strippers onlyduring theengagement of the stem with the rolls 5 5, an operation which could onlybe but partially obtained if the rolls 5 5 and 6 6 were rotated at asubstantially uniform speed.

The operation of my machine is as follows: Tobacco-leaves are placedbutt foremost upon the feed-table 2 in the several channels provided forreceiving the leaves and are carried forward by the feed-belts of saidtable until their motion is arrested by the stop 8. At intervals the camportion 43 of the groove of the cam 43 encounters the stud 44, therebyreversing the direction of rotation of the main stripping-rolls 4 4,causing them to rotate in the same direction as the correspondingdrawing-rolls 5, and at the same instant the camgroove 22 22 causes therolls 10 and 11 to move together into the position shown in Fig. 7,permitting the stop 8 to fall, and thus permitting the leaves on thefeed table 2 to move forward between the rolls 10 and 11. The

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leaves enter certain of the grooves of these initial feed-rolls and arefed onward by said rolls until they are engaged by the strippingrolls 44, then rotating in the same direction as the initial feed-rolls l0 and11. The strippin g-rolls 4 4 feed the leaves onward still farther untilthe butts are caught by the drawing-rolls 5 5. By the time the leavesare well caught by the drawing-rolls the cam 43 has reversed thedirection of rotation of the stripping-rolls and the cam 22 has movedtheini tial feed-rolls back to their normal positions, thereby raisingthe stop 8 and preventing the further feeding of the leaves. Thestrippingrolls by their reverse rotation strip the leaves from the stemsin the manner illustrated in Fig. 5, the leaves falling between thestripping-rolls and the roll 11, while the stems are carried onwardbetween the supplementary stripping-rolls 6 6, which remove therefromthe last particles of leaves, and between the rolls 7, and thence out ofthe machine. By the operation of the fan 25 and the vibrating screen 27the finetobacco is separated from the loose bits of stem and the like.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,it will be noticed the leaves are separated from the stems and droppeddown at the front end of the machine, the short staple or stem-adheringportions are dropped at an intermediate point or with the body of theleaf, as desired, and the stem-pieces fed into a separate receiver withthe unbroken stems, the several portions of the leaf and stem beingautomatically separated and the handling of the product rendered moresimple and economical.

While I prefer to arrange the several parts constituting the entiremachine in the manner shown and described, it is manifest that in thepractical application of the invention the detail arrangement of partsmay be modified or changed without departing from the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a leaf-stemming machine, thecombination, with stripping mechanism which intermittently receivesleaves and then strips the same, and means for feeding leaves thereto,of means for moving away from such stripping mechanism, at times whenstripping is going on, leaves which have been presented to suchstripping mechanism but have not been engaged thereby.

2. In a leaf-stemming machine, the combination, with strippingmechanism, which in termittently receives leaves and then strips thesame, and means for feedingleaves thereto, of a movable member locatedin front of such stripping mechanism, and means for moving said memberacross the plane of movement of the said leaves, to deflect from theirnormal path and hold away from the stripping mechanism leaves which havebeen presented thereto but not engaged thereby.

3. In a leaf-stemming machine, the combination, with stripping mechanismand means for feeding lea'ves thereto, of a movable stop arrangedtransversely of the direction of motion of the leaves passing to saidstripping mechanism, and means for moving said stop across the plane ofmovement of the said leaves to deflect from their normal path suchleaves as have already been presented to the stripping mechanism but notengaged thereby, and arrest incoming leaves which have not been sopresented.

4. In a leaf-stemming machine, the combination, with strippingmechanism, and substantially horizontally arranged feeding mechanism forfeeding leaves to said stripping mechanism, of a substantiallyvertically movable stop arranged transversely of the direction of motionof the leaves passing to said stripping mechanism, and means for movingsaid stop from beneath the path of the leaves upward, thereby raisingaway from the stripping mechanism leaves which have been presentedthereto but not engaged thereby.

5. In atobacco-leaf-stemming machine, the combination with strippingmechanism adapted to remove the leaf by a wiping action, and a feedingmeans for feeding the leaves fiat- Wise in the plane of the coactingsurfaces of the stripping mechanism; of a member movably held at a pointbetween the delivery end of the feeding means and the strippingmechanism; and devices for intermittently shifting said movable member,whereby to alternately move it in a plane with the feeding,

means to form a bridge-piece and to a point over the path of themovement of the leaf whereby it will act as a stop for the purposesspecified.

6. In a tobacco-leaf-stemming means as de scribed; the combination withthe leaf-feeding mechanism and stripping-rolls; of amemberintermittently movable in a plane above the coacting surfaces of therolls, said member acting as a support to hold the ends of theimproperly-fed leaves from engaging with the coacting surfaces of thestripping-rolls, and mechanism for operating the said movable member, asspecified.

7. In a tobacco-stemming machine, the combination, with the feedingdevices and the stripping mechanism, of a leaf-stop located between thedelivery end of the feeding devices and the stripping mechanism, movablysupported, and adapted to move below the discharge end of the feedingdevices, andmeans for raising said stop across the plane of movement ofthe leaves while a leaf is being stripped, thereby checking the feedingof other leaves.

8. The combination with the main leaffeed and the supplemental feeddevices and the stripping mechanism, of a combined bridge-piece andleaf-stop member for retarding a leaf during the stripping operation ofa preceding leaf and forming a continuation of the feed-table as theleaf is fed forward, said member being gravity-operated to its lower orbridge position, and a support for the said bridge operated by thesupplemental feed devices to elevate the said bridge, substantially asshown and described.

9. In a tobacco-leaf-stemming machine as described, the combination withthe main feed and the stripping mechanism, of the supplemental feedmechanism, comprising the upper and lower vibrating rolls, and a guidecarried by the roll-support movable with such rolls for leading the leafbetween them, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a leaf-stemming machine, the combination, with main andsupplemental stripping mechanisms, of a separating device, whichreceives the leaf particles stripped from the stems by the supplementalstripping mechanism, together with such pieces of stem as accompany suchleaf particles, and separates such leaf particles from the pieces ofstem.

11. In a leaf-stemming machine, the combination, with main andsupplemental strip- ,ping mechanisms, of an air-blast separatingmechanism, which receives the particles stripped from the stems by saidsupplemental stripping mechanism, together with such pieces of stem asaccompany such leaf particles, and separates the leaf particles frompieces of stem.

12. In a leaf-stemming machine, the combination, with strippingmechanism, ofa separating mechanism for separating the leaf particlesfrom particles of stem, and a guide extending from the point ofdischarge of the stems to said separating mechanism, and arranged todirect leaf particles and particles of stem accompanying them to suchseparating mechanism.

13. In a tobacco-stemming machine as described, the combination with themain stripper-rolls, the main drive-shaft, the oppositelyrotatable clutch-gears loosely mounted on the shaft, and geared with thestripping-rolls, said shaft having a tubular extension, the slidingdouble clutch-wheel, the reciprocating rod movable in the tubular shaftand connected with the sliding clutch-wheel, a cam longitudinallymovable on the shaft and rotatable therewith, a fixed member to engageand shift the cam lengthwise, said cam having a cushioned connectionwith the reciprocating rod, all being arranged substantially as shownand for the purposes described.

JOSEPH B. UNDERWOOD.

Witnesses:

G. G. MYROVER, A. B. WILLIAMS, Jr.

